Floating-deck oil tank



June 19, 1928. 1,674,104

c. R. GALLAcHER FLOATING DECK OIL TANK original Filed April 2o, .1925 2 sheeisdsheei 1 Inma/7 for;

zl//Vlfesw e c. R. GALLAGHER FLOATING DECK OIL TANK Original Filed April 20, 1925 2 sheetsnegt 2 Patented June 19, 1928.

CHARLES B. GALLAGHER, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,'

HOLDING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F ASSIGNOR T0 UNIVERSAL DELAWARE.

rLoA'rING-nncx on. TANK.

Application lled April 20, 1925, Serial No. 24,424. Renewed March D0, 1.928.

This invention relates to oil tanks, and more especially to open or uncovered lield or storage tanks, and my objects are to provide an etlicient bracing means or stifi'ener for the upper ends of such tanks,`an eilicient hollow floating deck composed of sections susceptible ofo ready removal for repair or replacement, the deck having communicating water-collecting chambers and means to conduct the water to the exterior of the tank and at the same time accommodate the deck in its up or down movement responsive to different oil levels in the tank, and having also means to collect and discharge condensation from the air chambers into the waterfcollecting chambers. An-

other object is to provide means for sup lying oil to the tank and holding the eck against rotary.y movement and hence any tendency to break or impair the eiiiciency of the water-discharge means.

With. these general objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and Ain order that it may be fully understood reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of an' oil tank embodying the invention. s

Figure 2 is a to plan view ofthe tank;

Figure 3 is an en arged central radial tion of a fragment of the floating deck;4

Figure 4 1s a transverse section taken through four of the segmental sections of the floating deck, said figure being shown on a scale of twice the size of Fivure 3. Figure 5 is a greatly. ma llied fragmental section on the line V wof Figure 3.

Figure 61s a' fragmental vertical sectiontaken through the tank and deck in the plane ofthe filling tube ,of the tank.

Figure 7 is e', vertical section of a .modified form of interlock connection vat the lower meeting edges of the deck sections.

Figure 8 is a vertical section of a tele scopic water-drain for the deck .sectionsz Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 in# dientes an ordinaryl circular oil tank of the conventiontal uncovered type,y and pro3ecting from the upper -iianged end of the tank are lugs 2, through which extend take-up or turn-buckle frods 3. The' rods extend ranf the interposed sections.

dially and are attached at their inner ends llower end to a socket 8, being provided near such end with a cross coupling 9 for discharging oil into the tank.

A floating deck consists of a series of segmental sections 10 abutting together sidewise and at their inner ends, against a central water-collecting tube 11. Each section is provided with superposed air and water chambers 12 and 13 respectively, the water chambers being uncovered. Through the side walls of the` Water chambers of the abuttin sections, tubular l. fasteners 15 extend. imilar tubular fasteners 16 extend throu h the inner end walls of the water chamers and the central tube 11, and pro'- videa means for the escape of water from said chambers into said tube. Cooperating with the-tubular fasteners 15 and 16 in securin the segmental sections of the deck toget er, are interlocking parts at the bot; tom of the deck, these parts consistin of ldeending radial ribs 10, and depen ing 'al upwardly-facing hooks 10", the radial ribsk 10* occurring at the sides of alternate sections and fitting in the radial hooks By this arrangement it will be seen that any one of the sec-` tions provided with the depending radial ribs can be readily removed for repair or replacement, and that to of one of the sections provided with the radial hooks, it will be necessary to first remove the two flanking segments provided effect the removal with the radial ribs, it being of course underv stood that the cooperating tubular fasteners 15 and 16 must likewise be removed. If preferred the depending parts 10* may be of single thickness and the hooks 10b'of like character, instead of having each of such parts of double thickness as lshown in Figure 4. An equivalent construction appears and perforated plates tional construct-ions of the deck, as described, not only provide for convenient and inexpensive repaii` and replacenient but 'facilitates the handling. shipping and storing of the sections ol' the deck.

To conduct rain water and the like collecting in the water chamber of the deck above the level of the tubular fasteners 1G, a telescopic tube 1T, extends downward from and communicates with the tube l1, and extends at its lowcr end through the bottom ot the tankand to discharge extcriorly thereto, a tube- 17r1 extends from the bottom member ot the telescopic tube to the exterior of the tank, and is controlled by a. valve 18. The tube sections 1? are so proportioned that they shall accommodate the deck when it attains its highest level, that is when the deck is floating on a full charge of ,oil in the tank. and shall be fully nested when the deck is depressed to its greatest extent, as when the tank is practically empty.

To relieve this telescopic tube of twisting strain due to rotary or oscillatory movement of the deck, the latter is provi ed with an opening 19 through which the filling tube 7 extends. This arrangement obviously restrains the deck from rotary or like movement. The joints between the sections of the telescopic tube are made water-tight by packing glands 19.

As the functions of the various parts have been explained no recapitulation of the entire operation is deemed necessary, it being understood of course that because of the tubular connections 15, rain water collecting in the deck will be evenly distributed thereover and can nd its way through any or all 'of the tubular fasteners 16 into the tube 11 and lthence through tube 17 to the exterior ot the tank.

As the air chambers 12 will sometimes be charged with water of condensation, an automatic pump or breather for such water is provided, as follows: Each air section 12 is formed with a slight depression or well 2O into which all water received in the chamber will collect. Secured fixedly and in air tight relation to the bottom of the water chamber 13 is a short ipe section 21 having its lower end received within the well 20 and having its upper end down-turned as at 22 for excluding rain water. lVhen the well 2O is filled, movements of the walls or the air chambers due to expansion or contraction as a result of varying temperature, or the like, ettectuallv results in the expulsion of water through the pipe Q1 into the su erposed water chamber 13.

rom the above description it will be apparent that I have produced an oil tank embodying the features of construction set forth as desirable in the statement of the objects of the invention, and which is bvviously susceptible of modification in minor particulars without departing from the principle ot construction involved or the spirit and .scopo of the appended claims.

XVhat l claim is:

1. The combination of an oil tank, a floating deck therein having a water-collecting chamber, a telescopic water tube extending downward from the said chamber, a tube leading from the telescopic tube to a point exterior to the tank, and a filling pipe leading into the tank through the deck and adapted for preventing rotary movement thereof. t

:2. A deck having superposed air and water chambers and provided at the bottom of the air chamber with a depression for the reception of water of condensation, and a breather pipe rigid with the deck and disposed at its lower end in the depression and above the water chamber with a downturned end or discharging into the water chamber.

3. A, deck having superposed air and water chambers and provided at the bottom of the air chamber with a depression for the reception of water of condensation, and a breather pipe rigid with the deck and disposed at its lower end in the depression and above the water chamber with a downturned end for discharging into the water chamber, in combination with a tank containing the deck, and a telescopic tube communicating at its upper end with the water chamber, and a tube leading from the lower end of the telescopic tube to the exterior of the tank. 4. A deck for oil tanks, composed of a circular series of sidewise-abutting segmental sections having communicating water-collecting chambers, tubular fasteners extending through the abutting walls of the said sections for establishing communication between the water chambers thereof, a central tube surrounded by said sections, tubular fasteners connecting the tube with the inner walls of the said sections for the passage of water from the water chambers of the latter into said tube, and a telescopic tube olr) conducting water from the said central tu e.

5. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a circular series ot sidewise-abutting segmental sections having superposed air and water chambers, the adjacent sections having interengaging bottom elements inhibiting independent lateral movement ofthe sections but permitting separating vertical movement of the latter.

6. A floating deck for oil tanks, comprising a circular series o sidewise-abutting segmental sections having superposed air and water chambers, alternate sections having depending radial ribs and the interposed sections having depending hooks receiving such ribs. Y

liltl 7. A oating deck for' oil tanks, comprising a. circular seri-es of sideWise-abutting segmental sections having superposed air and water chambers, alternate sections having depending radial ribs and the interposed sections havin depending hooks receiving such ribs, an a tube fitting between the inner ends of the sections and secured thereto and communicating therewith.

8. A Hoating deck for oil tanks, comprising a circular series of side-wise abutting sector "sections having superposed air and water'chambers, and means for attaching the sector sections together, said means including tubular fasteners providin a conduit for the passage of water from t e water chambers of each sector section to its adjacent sector Section.

In witness whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

CHARLES R. GALLAGHER. 

